The live-action How to Train Your Dragon is only just set to hit theaters this week, but director of the adaptation and of the original trilogy Dean DeBlois is already looking to the future and what he has in mind for the second movie. While star of the original movie Gerard Butler returns to the franchise to play the live-action Stoic, not all of the cast from the trilogy have returned, seeing new talent take on iconic roles. When it comes to the sequel, however, DeBlois confirmed that he hopes to get Cate Blanchett to reprise her role of Valka, though that offer has yet to be accepted. How to Train Your Dragon is set to hit theaters on June 13th.
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“Well, I’m wishful as well. It’s still early days,” DeBlois shared with ComicBook at the film’s red carpet premiere. “I think she is probably waiting for a script, but I’ve been knocking on that door. I wrote the character of Valka for her, so I told her it’ll always be hers to turn down first.”
If a new actor ends up taking on the role from Blanchett, Valka won’t be the only one taking on a slightly different look for the sequel, as the beloved dragon Toothless will also have to mature in their on-screen appearance.
“We knew we were going to go there. The idea is that Toothless is roughly Hiccup’s age in sragon years, so he is a juvenile, an adolescent, as well, aging into adulthood,” the filmmaker confirmed. “That is going to alter his design in subtle ways, but mostly it’s going to alter his mentality because he’s a very sentient dragon. He has his own opinions about everything, and he’ll also start to come into his own as a leader of his kind.”
The original How to Train Your Dragon has multiple iconic and beloved scenes, which presented DeBlois not only with exciting opportunities, but also some cinematic challenges. While the sequel is still only in the writing stage, he’s already preparing for the sequences that will require the most effort.
“Certainly in the second movie, tackling the whole idea of Toothless being weaponized and turned against Hiccup and Stoic intervening like that, that’s a pretty heavy moment. It was heavy for animation,” DeBlois admitted. “I think it’ll get even weightier in live action, so I look forward to that, too, because there’s something about the second movie. That, for most fans, is their favorite because it tackles tougher subject matter. It’s a little bit darker and more expansive, so I’m looking forward to it. I’m only writing right now, but I’ll get there. I’ll definitely get there.”
The live-action How to Train Your Dragon hits theaters on June 13th. The sequel is set for a June 11, 2027 release.
Are you looking forward to the sequel? Let us know in the comments!
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(Photo by Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic)
